As the Portugal Masters gets ready to celebrate its tenth birthday later this month, it seems like the perfect time to reflect on some of the most memorable moments from a tournament which began life in 2007 as a follow-on from the 2005 World Cup of Golf, and has since become one of the European Tour’s most popular events with both players and spectators alike.
Following the success of the World Cup, which was won by the Welsh pair of Bradley Dredge and Stephen Dodd at Oceânico Victoria Golf Course (then called Victoria Clube de Golfe), there was a real appetite from Turismo de Portugal and the European Tour to build on that legacy and host a top-class professional golf tournament in the Algarve.
Thanks also in no small part to André Jordan, the Polish-born, Brazilian-raised entrepreneur who came to Portugal in 1971 to create the now-famous Quinta do Lago resort, that dream became a reality.
In 1995, the André Jordan Group acquired four world-renowned championship courses, a casino and several five-star hotels in Vilamoura, and nine years later the Victoria Course became the jewel in the group’s crown when it opened to much fanfare. The first Arnold Palmer signature course in Continental Europe staged the inaugural Portugal Masters in 2007, and has played host to every edition since.
André Jordan said: “Having been active in the construction of golf courses and the organisation of events in Portugal since 1972, including the 2005 World Cup of Golf in association with the European Tour, it was a great honour to host the Portugal Masters at our Victoria course in Vilamoura – one of the many jewels created by Arnold Palmer.
“I’m very happy to see that the Portugal Masters is celebrating its tenth anniversary this year, it has established itself as one of the prime events on the European Tour schedule. The Tourism Board is also to be congratulated for its support of the development of golf in Portugal.”
The inaugural tournament was won by England’s Steve Webster, who dedicated his second European Tour victory to his mother Valerie, who had passed away five months previously.
He said: “It had been a really tough year up to that point, and I’d just lost my Mum. So I didn’t have great expectations going into the tournament, but something just clicked and I played really well all week. It was obviously an emotional time so I had mixed feelings at the time, but when I look back on that week now, it always brings a smile to my face.”
Shortly after Webster’s emotional victory in 2007, the Oceânico Group completed the purchase of the Victoria course and the Vilamoura resort’s four other layouts, thereby significantly bolstering a portfolio which also included the Amendoeira Golf Resort, a palatial complex in nearby Silves featuring two championship courses.
As a result, the Oceânico Group took over the hosting agreement from André Jordan. From the 2008 edition of the Portugal Masters until his untimely death in October 2015, Chris Stilwell, the CEO of Oceanico Golf, was a real driving force in the tournament’s development.
Peter Adams, Championship Director of the Portugal Masters, said: “Chris will always be intrinsically linked with the Portugal Masters. His father, John, developed Penina, the Algarve’s first golf course, so he was part of a great golfing dynasty and his passing left a huge void in the region’s golf tourism sector. Chris’ legacy lives on in the Portugal Masters, and we are hugely indebted to him for his contribution to the tournament and the development of golf in the Algarve.”
Luís Correia da Silva, CEO of Oceânico Golf, long-term partner of the Portugal Masters, said: “As we embark on the tenth edition of the Portugal Masters, it seems fitting that we reflect on how the tournament has established itself and it is now one of the highest profile events on the European Tour schedule.
“We also take great pride in the role the Victoria Course, the first Arnold Palmer signature course in Continental Europe, has played in providing a world-class venue for some of the game’s top players, as well as creating a shop window for the Algarve and helping to cement Portugal’s position as one of the world’s leading golf destinations.
“We would also like to pay tribute to the late Arnold Palmer. Mr Palmer was one of the game’s greatest ambassadors, an amazing course designer, a true gentleman and a friend we will never forget.
“Finally, we would like to pay tribute to a great Algarve golf ambassador, Christopher Stilwell. Having worked with him for a number of years, including the previous nine editions of the Portugal Masters, the Oceânico Golf team will miss Christopher but will proudly stay true to his legacy and are inspired to make this the biggest and best Portugal Masters ever.”
As well as the Oceânico Group, the funding and support provided by Turismo de Portugal has also played a fundamental role in the remarkable growth of the tournament.
Frederico Costa, a great supporter of the tournament, became President of Turismo de Portugal during the tournament’s formative years, before he was succeeded in December 2013 by João Cotrim de Figueiredo, who has in turn been succeeded by Luis Araújo.
Adams said: “Turismo de Portugal have played a central role in developing the Portugal Masters since its inception in 2007. It is no exaggeration to say that, without their unwavering support over the past nine years, the tournament simply wouldn’t exist, and so we must thank Frederico, João and Luis for their invaluable belief and commitment.”
Equally, the input and support of the Portuguese Golf Federation has been crucial to the continued success and development of the tournament.
Manuel Agrellos, President of the Portuguese Golf Federation, said: “It has been an absolute pleasure to see the Portugal Masters establish itself as a great European Tour stop. It is a great opportunity for Portuguese golfers to watch the best players in the world in one of the best golf courses in our country.
“Both myself and Miguel Franco de Sousa like to work closely with all those involved in the Portugal Masters – Turismo de Portugal, Oceânico Golf, the European Tour and other partners – all of whom contribute to its growth. We believe that the Portugal Masters will continue to grow in the future.”
Other figures who have played key roles behind the scenes include Steve Richardson and Rui Grave, whose incredibly committed and hard-working team of agronomists are responsible for maintaining the pristine condition of the course at Oceânico Victoria, which draws widespread praise from the professionals and ensures they return year after year.
Like Richardson and Grave, who have witnessed the evolution of the Portugal Masters since 2007, a total of eight players have competed in all nine previous editions of the tournament: Alvaro Quiros, Damien McGrane, Robert Rock, Anthony Wall, Søren Kjeldsen, Graeme Storm, Raphaël Jacquelin and Marcel Siem.
After winning the tournament in 2008, Quiros cemented his love for the place by making Vilamoura his home, and the big-hitting Spaniard – one of the few players to reach the green in two on the 589-yard 17thhole – is still attached to the Oceânico Victoria to this day.
Another player who enjoyed significant success in the Portugal Masters is Lee Westwood, whose victory in 2009 acted as a springboard for his subsequent return to European golf’s summit, as he won the Race to Dubai six weeks later following his victory in the season-ending DP World Tour Championship.
Without a win in more than two years, Westwood produced a moment of magic when it mattered most, on the par five 17thhole. Having pulled his approach left of a green which is guarded by water on all sides, Westwood somehow found a route over the pomegranate trees and onto the putting surface, tapping in for a birdie four which proved pivotal in his two-shot win over Italy’s Francesco Molinari.
Whilst a home win has so far proved elusive, Portuguese players have enjoyed a degree of success in the past, with José-Filipe Lima finishing in a tie for 21ston his debut in 2007, and Ricardo Santos – who is attached to the Oceânico Victoria Course – claiming a top 20 finish in 2012. The leading home hope this year is Ricardo Gouveia, currently 88thin the Race to Dubai having won the Challenge Tour Rankings last year.
Andy Sullivan, the winner by a record nine shots last year, will return to defend his title shortly after making his Ryder Cup debut.
Given their vocal presence last year, the amiable Englishman will no doubt be cheered on again by the self-styled “Sulli Army”, comprising friends, family and members of his local golf club in his native Nuneaton.
Sullivan, whose permanently sunny disposition has endeared him to golfing fans, perfectly embodies the essence of the Portugal Masters, combining a sense of fun with a first-class golf game.
It seems only fitting that the last word should go to a bona fide member of golfing royalty, the late, great Arnold Palmer, who passed away aged 87 on October 25.
The seven-time Major Champion said: “I extend my sincere congratulations to everyone responsible for the annual hosting of the Portugal Masters as you approach the tournament’s tenth anniversary.
“My staff and I were particularly proud of how well the design of the course turned out, and how favourably it has been received by the European Tour’s players and executives.”
Amen to that, Arnold, here’s to the next ten years…
